CBD News Roundup: Study Shows CBD-Infused Mouthwash Works Better Than Traditional Products

Here’s the latest CBD news:

• A recent study has found that CBD-infused mouthwash works better than regular products.
• A report from the FDA has found that many CBD products do not have the levels of CBD that they claim to.

New Study Shows CBD-Infused Mouthwash Works Better Than Traditional Products

A recent study in Belgium has found that CBD-infused mouthwash may present a better option for oral health over traditional mouthwashes.

Researchers found that two specially-formulated mouthwashes, one infused with CBD and the other with CBG, was more effective at killing bacteria than two popular over-the-counter products.

Seventy-two adults were involved in the study. The two cannabinoid mouthwashes were tested against one mouthwash made with essential oils and alcohol and another that was alcohol-free with fluoride. Samples were measured after 24 or 36 hours to test bacterial growth. The study found that the cannabinoid-infused mouthwashes significantly inhibited bacteria growth while the two over-the-counter mouthwashes had little to no effect.

The study also found that the CBD mouthwash was just as effective at killing plaque-related bacteria as chlorhexidine, an active ingredient in prescription mouthwash that is known to stain teeth.

The study was designed and funded by CanniBite, a Belgian company that creates cannabinoid-based dental products and was published in late June in the peer-reviewed Journal of Cannabis Research. Adding to the optimism of the study is the fact that the cannabinoid-infused mouthwash contained no alcohol, fluoride, or THC.

Co-author of the study and founder of CannlBite, Veronica Stahl, says the data “demonstrate the potential of cannabinoids in developing efficient and safer mouthwash products and next generation oral care products.”

As stated in the study, “Most of the reported studies show chlorhexidine containing mouthwash as the most effective mouthwash, however tooth staining is an unacceptable side effect of chlorhexidine. Mouthwash products with cannabinoids infusion offer a safer and effective alternative without any fluorides or alcohol.”

Beyond the teeth staining, there is additional evidence to suggest that chlorhexidine may disrupt beneficial bacteria and pose health threats.

FDA Testing Finds Many CBD Products Are Mislabeled

Testing conducted by the FDA has found that many CBD-infused products are mislabeled. 

According to a letter of findings the FDA sent to Congress, CBD products often either contain much less or more CBD than they advertise. In some cases, the products contained THC when they claimed not to have any.

The FDA tested 147 products this year, 102 of which indicated a specific amount of CBD. Eighteen of them had less than 80 percent of the amount claimed on the label, while 38 had more than 120 percent indicated. Forty-six were within 20 percent of the stated potency. 

The round of testing was mostly random, aided by internet search, and included all forms of CBD available on the market, from tinctures and oils to edibles and pet products. The FDA also studied products from companies that had previously received warning letters for making health claims about their CBD products. Lastly, the FDA tested industry event participants and advertisers in trade journals. 

Although the FDA noted that the testing was a limited sample size, it says it supports the need for a future long-term study. 

Marielle Weintraub, head of the U.S. Hemp Authority, a self-regulatory agency, reacted to the findings.

“Hemp is an industry that holds itself to the highest standards, and as a whole we would like to rid the marketplace of the bad players who improperly label products and put consumers at risk,” she said. “Today’s report emphasizes what we have been arguing for years: FDA needs to regulate hemp and CBD products.”

The US Hemp Roundtable also responded to the report in an email to its supporters, saying, “there’s not much news here.”

Also this week, the House called for stricter regulations of the CBD marketplace. A $5 million budget was provided for the FDA’s review of over-the-counter CBD. 

The budget writers explained their decision in a note.

“[CBD products] continue to pose potential health and safety risks to consumers through unsubstantiated and misleading claims such as treating a wide-range of life-threatening diseases and conditions,” wrote the Committee on Appropriations.

The funds for additional FDA review will not be final until approved by Congress.